Feuds
by JAG1
Summary: A string of abductions sends the Scouts to action against the most dangerous and horrific enemy yet.
1. Chapter 1

" . . . The recent sting of abductions continues. Authorities warn of a sex predator and ask females from sixteen to twenty to stay in doors or travel in pairs. . ." Amy turned the radio off and looked expectantly around the room. Lita had cleaned the main room for the meeting, the white carpeting still showed the vacuum lines, and she was dusting a shelf in the hall. Serena, Rei, and Mina sat around the square table on the floor and stared back at her for a moment. Darien had picked them up from school and dropped them off here, he said he had a corporate meeting or something.

"We know about them, Amy," Lita called from the hall, "The creep is good though, police have no clues or suspects."

"Look at these," Amy continued as she took a folder from her bag and laid out some pieces of paper on the table, "These are photographs from the police database of the victims. Notice anything?"

"Wow, Amy," Rei smirked, "Did you hack into the police database? This isn't like you." Mina looked down at the photographs while Serena looked at the television and yawned.

"I'm an inspector's assistant, Rei," Amy answered, "I told you about it last week."

"They're us," Mina whispered and Rei and Serena snapped their heads to look. "All of these girls look like us."

Lita walked forward and gazed over Rei's shoulder. She looked at the pages for a moment and looked up at Amy, "Shouldn't we tell the police about this? I mean it is a clue."

Amy sighed and answered, "No, we shouldn't. Then police will want to question us and know about the Scouts."

"We can't do nothing," Rei snarled, "Those girls might be in danger when he has them finds out they aren't us."

"He probably already knows," Amy said, "He's kidnapped more than one counterpart for each of us. What puzzles me is that, if he is looking for us and knows he hasn't found us, why hasn't he set the girls free?"

"He might be some kind of pervert," Lita answered angrily, "We should be out there, use ourselves as bay, or whatever you call it."

"Bait, Lita," Amy corrected, "And we don't know anything about his methods. He's taken girls from parks, malls, and even schools at all times in the day. The only thing that connects them is their resemblance to us. We wouldn't know where or how to start."

"Well I'm not going to cower here," Rei snarled as she stood up and narrowed her eyes, "If he wants a piece of me, he's free to try."

"I'll go with you," Lita chimed in, "he's in for more than he can handle." She held out her transformation pen and gripped it tightly.

"Its too dangerous," Amy scolded, "we don't know anything about him."

"We can't learn anything here, can we?" Rei mused as she stood and moved towards the door, "Come on, Lita, its time to stop who ever it is." Amy sighed as the two walked out the door. She turned back to Mina, brushing her hands over some of the pictures, and Serena, still looking around the room.

They shared a moment of silence until Mina spoke up, "It's just awful. Those girls didn't do anything. Why would someone do this?"


	2. Chapter 2

The night was dark and the path looked even darker. "Hey Rei," Lita began, "I don't know about this. I want to catch him as much as you do but shouldn't we look as a group, you know, all five of us scouts?"

"Losing your nerve, Lita?" Rei taunted. Lita blushed and Rei softened, "Maybe we were rash but this wave has gone on for too long. Think of the first girls that were abducted months ago, how they feel. And who knows what he's doing to them. This has to end tonight."

"I know and believe me I feel the same way," Lita pushed, "but I just wonder if this is the best way. What if we find him, what then?"

"We're sailor scouts," Rei chimed as she took out her transformation pen, "we can handle whatever creep comes."

"I know who you are," a strange deep voice said in the dark, "I just want to talk to you, that's all." Rei and Lita shuffled together, prepared to fight but could only peered into the darkness. The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter right? I've found you at last."

"Listen," Lita commanded the dark, "I don't know who you are but you have to let the other girls free. It's not right to keep them."

"I can't free them yet, you'll soon know why," the dark answered, "I need you to come with me, please."

"I really don't know who you are," Lita shot into the dark, "but we're not going with you. Show yourself, coward."

"You decision is unfortunate. I had hope this would be easier but if it is your wish." Rei choked for a moment than swung her head forward. For a moment she was limp as a cloth hung by her shoulders to dry then she stiffened as a red swirling liquid ran from her eyes and mouth and dribbled vertically into the night. Before Lita could scream, she felt the icy hand too and fell limply forward. The last thing she remembered was a cloud of green.

"What do you mean 'they went out'?" Luna cried, "I can't believe you. Why didn't you stop them?"

"What were we supposed to do?" Mina asked, "Tackle them?"

"Perhaps if you did, they would be hear now," Luna retorted then she looked into the night, "Instead of out there with them."

"With who?" Serena begged, "What do you know? Besides, where were you about 20 minutes ago?"

"I had some friends come into town," Luna replied sheepishly, "Yeah, friends. I think the abductions will stop soon. I hope so."


	3. Chapter 3

The room became uncomfortable as the scouts waited. Mina and Serena kept looking at the photographs, hoping the truth would change or they would notice something to make this easier. Amy unfolded her computer and began typing. Even Luna lay down and pretended to sleep although her ears twitched with each sound.

Something pounded at the door. Mina looked around the room and stood. Serena watched her go to the door while Amy continued typing. Mina opened the door and stepped away. A young man walked in, Rei cradled in his arms. She remained limp with an arm around his neck. He stepped into the room and Serena began piling pillows on the floor. The young man nodded and crouched to lay Rei on the pillows then stepped back and waited with his arms behind his back. Serena crept forward while Amy hurried to the kitchen. She came back with a damp towel and laid it across Rei's brow.

The young man wore black pants, a t-shirt, and elbow-length black gloves. Only a band on each arm and his face revealed his pale skin. His hair was swept back and hidden beneath a black sash that shrouded his neck too. And he watched the room with his eyes.

"Who are you? And where's Lita?" Serena asked the air as she clasped Rei's hand.

"The answers would take too long, I apologize for that, but you don't need them right now" the young man answered quickly, "For now, just know that some friends of yours will make you an offer tomorrow. Don't refuse." He bowed and turned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mina dodged in front of the young man, "Did you think you could just come in, drop off an unconscious friend, give us a cryptic message, then leave?"

"I still do, Sailor Venus," the young man answered. He grabbed the back of Mina's neck, stepped in front of her ankles, and pulled her past him. She stumbled passed him and fell into the room. The young man turned, bowed low, and left. Mina picked herself up to her hands and knees then collapsed. Amy knelt by her side, rolled her on her back and put a hand by Mina's mouth.

Rei's eyes shot open and she sat up, "Where is he? Is Lita okay?" 

Serena answered, "He's gone, Rei, and we don't know where Lita is."

"I'm glad you're okay, Rei," Amy chirped, "But what happened?"

"Lita and I were at the Blossom Park, I think," Rei said, trying to remember less than an hour before, "Then he just came from no where. He used some kind of beam, it felt really cold and I blacked out."

"Lita is fine," Luna asserted, "I think I can find her."

"Okay, Luna," Amy replied flatly, "Why didn't you do anything when that guy was here? I saw you quivering. I know you know what's going on, do you want to tell us?"

"I'm sorry," Luna lowered her head, "but I won't be sure until I get back." She leapt up to the window, glanced back, then disappeared into the night. 


	4. Chapter 4

Lita opened her eyes and sat up quickly, then lay back down with a groan. Her head ached as last night's events replayed in her head. She wasn't outside now; this place had soft wood floors, soft heat, and soothing flute music. She sat up again and moaned, "Where am I?"

"She awakes! Send for Calli," a sweet voice called. Lita turned to find a boy, perhaps 13 years old, kneeling beside her in white robes.

"Get her yourself, Gany," an older boy responded, "I have some questions for the priestess so scram." He stood against a wall in orange ceremonial robes wrapped with a black sash. The younger boy sighed, bowed to Lita, then stood, and walked out of the room. Lita watched him with dull understanding.

"First of all, we're the remains of your order," the older boy answered, "I'm Io, third of the order. Do you understand?" He paused while Lita shook her head.

"Of course she doesn't understand you, Io," a firm voice snapped from the door way. Lita looked to the door way and saw a young woman clad in midnight blue robes. She held a golden staff in her folded arms. She walked over and knelt before Lita, laid her staff beside her, and bowed low. "Priestess, forgive us for not coming sooner. I fear now may be too late but we have to get you off the planet."

"Huh?" Lita stared for a moment. After a moment, she straightened, "Why should we leave?"

Io crouched in front of Lita, smiled and looked into her eyes, "Because a cloud is coming to suck this planet dry. The entire planet and everything on it will be so much more than dead." He nodded to confirm his words.

"You're scaring her, Io," the young woman shook her head. She turned back to Lita, "Forgive Io, he can be dramatic but he's not wrong."

"We've beat evil before," Lita answered, "We can do it again."

"Evil wouldn't be a problem," Io replied, "But this isn't evil, so to speak." Lita drew back for a moment and Io shook his head. He held out a bit of wood in his palm and it burst into flames, "This flame is consuming this wood. The flame doesn't hate the wood, that's just the function of the flame. And it won't stop until the wood is spent then it moves on to another object it doesn't hate. What's coming isn't evil either. Do you understand?"

"So, this thing is fire?" Lita asked, "Then we must estinguish it. There are many happy people on this planet, happy animals too, and they are worth fighting for. I won't abandon them. The scouts are powerful and we will fight together."

"And die together," Io grumbled as he bowed and left.

The young woman watched him go then turned to Lita, "Are you sure? You can't turn back later." Lita nodded and the young woman smiled, "Then we will stay too and fight with you. I'm Cally, you met Io, I think you saw Gany too, and I haven't seen Euro around today. Take us to these freinds of yours."

Lita nodded and went out the door. They were somewhere in the forest, Lita recognized some trees, but she couldn't remember a building in this forest. Io joined them outside and the other boy in white robes, Lita figured it was Gany. Another young woman, Cally's age, walked into the clearing holding a black mass in her arms.

"Cally, is this the preistess?" She askedreplied as the black mass lept to the ground. Lita recognized Luna quickly and Luna scampered into Lita's arms. Luna shivered so hard Lita could barely hold her. 


	5. Chapter 5

"Euro, milady," the woman prompted with a bow. She turned to Calli, "Luna found a scout, lucky her. I'm not sure what shook her up more; the beast or that Iansaved her from it."

Lita began leading them out of the forest, she hoped. She wanted to hear more, "Whose Ian? Is he a friend of yours?" Io laughed deep and condescending wheezes.

"No," Calli answered, "He alone now. But he's our ally and yours too, though he won't say it."

"Not since he was exiled from the Moon Kingdom," Io amended, "That was centuries ago but he still remembers it."

Lita was shocked. "He was what? How could he be exiled from the Moon Kingdom and still be alive? That was thousands of years ago, wasn't it? And why was he exiled in the first place?"

"Ian saw the Dehkira as a threat but Queen Serenity didn't," Euro began, "he tried to steal the Moon Passion Scepter, the Moon's most powerful weapon, and so was exiled. The Queen sent Jupiter's Satellites to bring him back years later, he refused, and the kingdom was destroyed when we returned."

"He would have put the Moon Kingdom in danger," Calli continued, "he was justly exiled. If he had taken it, the moon would be left defenseless all for his pointless crusade."

"It wasn't enough, Calli," Io pointed out, "The Moon Kingdom was destroyed even with it. The Negaverse beat the Dehkira too it. Queen Serenity's love wasn't enough to power the scepter." Lita could tell an old argument had been dredged up and she didn't mind. Unlike Rei and Serena, these two didn't insult each other so it was almost pleasant and very interesting.

"And Ian would use it," Calli countered, "He would have enough power to destroy galaxies with it, the curiosity to do it, and the disinterested to not care. Power should never be used without conscience."

"Power should never be restrained. Power, even in destruction, is central to the universe," Io answered, "Without an end, there is no beginning. Without death, there is no life. And even if there was yin without yang, humans wouldn't recognize either."

A black shape plummeted from the sky and sent Lita crashing into a tree. Calli rushed to her side while Euro, Io, and Gany turned to this new enemy. It had a long bullet shaped body; the front rounded off into a large mouth, its huge arms that nearly reached the ground, and massive legs held it three feet off the ground. One claw dredged up a handful of earth, the ground burst into white flame, and flung the flaming sod at the group.

"There's only one," Euro answered as she surrounded the group with a crimson shield. The flames shattered against it and the earth fell harmlessly to the ground.

"Must be a scout, eh?" Io replied as his hands burst into flames, "Gany, can you disable this one?"

"No," the young boy answered, "It doesn't have a brain big enough to trick and no happy memories either. You're on your own for this one."

"Wonderful," Io grunted as Euro's shield disappeared. He ran forward, throwing fire balls at the beast with each step. The bursts sizzled on its moist skin and the beast roared. Io rolled under its swipe, smashed his fist through the creature's teeth, and soon flames began lapping through its plates. Its massive hand grabbed Io and threw him away. Io hit the ground with a thud while the beast raised a claw above him.


End file.
